This has been a year full of interesting events for the students at Canon Paolo Pullicino Girls' Secondary School, Rabat, through their Comenius Project.
The first item on this year's agenda was the educational meeting between partners, which was held in Malta. The enthusiasm of the students started when they were preparing for the small concert, including miming and poetry reading in English and Maltese and a folk dance.
With the help of the music teacher, the students sang a typical Maltese song and the project song. The music of the latter was composed by the Finnish partners; all the other members wrote words in their own language.
The lyrics in Maltese were written by Leontine, who also helped with the performance of the concert. During this meeting the group discussed the events and work to be carried out during the last year of the project.
During the year the students prepared items to be exhibited in the final meeting in Karshuld, Germany. Two teachers, the project co-ordinator Ms Mary Anne Cassar and Ms Anne Vella, attended this meeting in May.
An exhibition was set up by each country. Exhibits on the Malta stand included children's work and projects, and some Maltese traditional crafts and food.
The culmination of events, however, was the participation of the school in the Karousel art competition, held in Munich, by the Munich House of Artists. The school was invited to take part in this competition by the project co-ordinator in Bavaria, Otto Klepik.
It was intended for the Bavarian schools and their partners in the Comenius projects. Thanks to the art teachers, Ms Maria Galea and Ms Marlene Caruana, eight students were encouraged to take part.
"My Home in Europe" was the title of this competition. The exhibits were placed in shops around Munich and shoppers voted for the best painting. Eighteen European countries took part and four countries won.
One of them was Malta! Indeed, this made history. It was our first successful participation in a European competition, just a fortnight after Malta officially joined the European Union.
Angelica Pisani, a 14-year-old student from Canon P. Pullicino School won most points. Needless to say, the girl was thrilled to learn that she had won the beautiful prize of a week in Paris!
Angelica has talent and one could see this in her painting. Well done Angelica and well done all the other students who took part because their works were also very good. Well done, girls! You have brought honour to your school and to Malta in Europe.
Ms Cassar is the Comenius project co-ordinator at Canon P. Pullicino Girls' Secondary School, Rabat.